OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting

Warsaw: AFN attended the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting covering sessions on Freedom of Religion, Belief and Conscience as well as Tolerance and Non-Discrimination. The OSCE is an intergovernmental body comprising 57 countries and provides a forum for governments and civil society to meet together. AFN’s Director gave a presentation to the meeting on the state of religious freedom in Russia highlight that Jehovah Witnesses had been banned and classified as extremist – yet were a religion whose members steadfastly refused to be involved in war or violence and had strong moral principles. He pointed out that the legislation had been passed which effectively discriminated against many different minority and non-traditional religions in the country and called for the Russian delegates to examine the information provided to them and urge their government to make changes to the law. http://www.osce.org/odihr/hdim_2017